Men’s Hairstyles:
A Guide to Popular Haircuts for Every Length and Hair Type
Whether you want a low-maintenance buzz cut or something with more length to style, it helps to see your options before you sit in the barber’s chair. This guide covers some of the most popular men’s haircuts right now. It includes short cuts, fades and undercuts, medium and long styles, and cuts for curly and textured hair. For each one, you’ll find what it looks like, who it suits, and how much upkeep it needs. Click any style for more photos, styling tips, and exactly what to ask your barber. These are just a starting point: the HairLook app includes many more styles you can try on your own photo.
Hair clipped to one short, even length all over. It’s the easiest cut to maintain and needs no styling at all. It suits oval and square faces, and it’s a clean option for men with thinning hair.
Buzz Cut
Short on the sides and back, with slightly longer hair on top that tapers toward the crown. It’s neat, classic, and works in almost any setting, from the office to the gym.
Crew Cut
A longer version of the crew cut, with enough length on top to part to the side. It looks polished without much effort and suits most face shapes.
Ivy League
Short sides with a textured top pushed forward into a short, blunt fringe. It’s easy to style with a bit of matte product and helps disguise a receding hairline.
French Crop
A short, even cut with a straight, horizontal fringe brushed forward. It’s very low-maintenance and works well for thick hair or men whose hairline is starting to recede.
Caesar Cut
A short cut with choppy, messy texture on top and tight sides. It looks modern and casual, and it adds the look of volume to fine or straight hair.
Textured Crop
Short Hairstyles for Men
A defined part on one side, with the top combed neatly across. It’s a timeless, professional look that suits most face shapes and works well with a low fade or taper.
Side Part
Volume swept up and back from the forehead, with shorter sides. It needs a blow-dryer and a pomade or clay, but it adds height and suits round faces especially well.
Pompadour
Similar to a pompadour but more relaxed, with the front pushed up and slightly forward. It’s a versatile everyday style that can look polished or messy.
Quiff
The hair on top is combed straight back with a shine or matte product. It looks sharp and confident, and it works best with medium-thick hair at least a few inches long.
Slicked-Back Hair
Medium-length hair parted down the center so it falls to both sides of the face. It has a relaxed, ’90s-inspired look and works well on straight or wavy hair.
Middle Part (Curtains)
Shorter on top and sides, with longer length at the back. Today’s version is softer and more blended than the original, often with texture on top and a fade on the sides.
Modern Mullet
Medium-Length Hairstyles for Men
Hair grown out to around the neck or shoulders and swept back so it flows naturally. It needs a few months of patience to grow out but very little daily styling.
The Flow
Long hair pulled back and tied into a bun at the crown or the back of the head. It’s practical, keeps hair off the face, and can be paired with an undercut.
Man Bun
Natural waves left long and loose for a relaxed look. A light sea salt spray or cream helps define the waves and control frizz.
Long Wavy Hair
Long hair with layers cut throughout to remove weight and add movement. It keeps long hair from looking flat and makes it easier to manage.
Shoulder-Length Layers
The top section is tied back while the rest hangs loose. It keeps hair out of your eyes while still showing off its length.
Half-Up Style
Long, tousled, slightly messy hair that looks naturally sun-dried. It suits wavy hair and is best styled with texture spray and air-drying.
Surfer Hair
Long Hairstyles for Men
Natural curls kept longer on top, with the sides faded short. It shows off curl pattern while keeping a clean, structured shape.
Curly Top with Fade
A full, rounded shape that celebrates natural texture. It can be shaped and lined up to suit the face, and kept at any length from short to full.
Afro
A short cut brushed and maintained so the hair forms a wave pattern all around the head. It takes consistent brushing and a durag, but creates a very sharp look.
360 Waves
Hair sectioned and twisted into coils, either short or long. It’s a protective style that keeps hair defined and can later be unraveled into a twist-out.
Twists
Hair braided close to the scalp in straight or patterned rows. It’s a long-lasting, low-daily-maintenance style that protects natural hair.
Cornrows
Hair formed into rope-like strands over time, either naturally or with help from a loctician. Locs can be worn short or long, down or tied up, and are a long-term commitment.
Locs
Hairstyles for Curly and Textured Hair
The hair gradually shortens starting just above the ears and neckline. It’s subtle and professional, and it pairs well with almost any style on top.
Low Fade
The fade starts around the temples, halfway up the sides. It’s a balanced choice that looks sharp without being too dramatic, and it’s one of the most requested barbershop cuts.
Mid Fade
The fade starts high on the head, near the top of the sides, leaving short or bare skin around most of the head. It creates strong contrast with the hair on top and suits bold, structured styles.
High Fade
Length is shortened only at the sideburns and neckline, leaving more hair on the sides. It’s the most conservative option, grows out cleanly, and works for straight, wavy, and curly hair.
Taper Fade
The fade curves around the ear in a semicircle and leaves length at the back. It’s often paired with mohawks, curly tops, and mullets for a more distinctive look.
Burst Fade
The sides and back are cut short in one length, with no blending into the longer hair on top. It’s a strong, high-contrast cut that can be worn slicked back, swept to the side, or messy.
Undercut
Fades and Undercuts
How to Choose the Right Hairstyle for You
The right haircut depends on your face shape, your hair type, and how much time you want to spend on it each morning.
Face shape
Oval faces suit almost any cut. Round faces look best with height on top, like a pompadour or quiff, and shorter sides to add length. Square faces suit both very short cuts and textured styles that soften a strong jaw. Long or oblong faces work well with fringes, side parts, and fuller sides rather than extra height on top.
Hair type
Thick hair can handle almost any style, but may need thinning or layers. Fine hair often looks fuller in shorter, textured cuts like a crop. Curly and coily hair looks its best in cuts designed around its natural pattern, from a barber experienced with textured hair.
Maintenance
Fades and very short cuts look sharpest with a trim every two to three weeks. Tapers and medium-length cuts can go four to six weeks. Long hair needs fewer cuts, but more washing, conditioning, and styling.
Thinning hair
Shorter cuts usually look better on thinning hair than longer styles combed over. A buzz cut, French crop, or textured crop can reduce the contrast between thinner and thicker areas
Beard
If you wear a beard, think of your hair and beard as one look. A fade that blends into the beard, for example, creates a clean, connected shape.
Technology
A good hairstyle app can be a useful tool when you’re choosing a new look. Instead of trying to picture a cut from a photo of someone else, you can upload a selfie and see different haircuts on your own face, side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a fade and a taper?
Both shorten the hair gradually toward the bottom of the head. A taper only shortens the hair at the sideburns and neckline, so it looks more subtle and keeps more length on the sides. A fade blends down much shorter, often to the skin, and covers more of the sides and back.
What is the most low-maintenance haircut for men?
The buzz cut is the easiest, since it needs no styling at all. The crew cut and Caesar cut are close behind. If you want something with more length, a taper grows out more cleanly than a fade, so you can go longer between barber visits.
What’s the best haircut for thinning hair or a receding hairline?
Short, textured cuts usually work best. A French crop or Caesar cut brings hair forward to soften the hairline, and a buzz cut minimizes the difference between thinner and thicker areas. Avoid growing hair long to cover thin spots, since it often draws more attention to them
How do I tell my barber what I want?
Bring a photo, and learn a few basic terms. Clipper guard numbers set the length on the sides: a #1 is about 1/8 inch (3 mm), a #2 about 1/4 inch (6 mm), and a #4 about 1/2 inch (13 mm). Also say where you want the fade to start (low, mid, or high) and roughly how much length you want to keep on top.
How often should men get a haircut?
Every two to three weeks for fades and very short cuts. Every four to six weeks for medium-length styles. Every eight to twelve weeks for long hair, mostly to trim split ends.
